This invention pertains to a fish hook safety device, and more particularly, to a device which may be used to safely retain different sized and shaped hooks including gang hooks.
Fishermen utilize different sized and shaped hooks depending on the particular fish sought. In some circumstances the fisherman may want to use a gang hook. This type of hook combines several hooks on one shaft which is connected to the fishing line. A common gang hook has three hooks equally spaced around the circumference of a circle and is called a treble hook.
Fishing hooks, by virtue of their design, snag or attach to almost anything coming into contact with the hook. The hook may attach to the fisherman himself or snag his clothes. Removal is difficult and perhaps painful. Also, many fishing boats, fishing docks, or cars transporting tackel, have carpet or carpet patches on the deck or other surfaces. Removal of hooks snagged in carpet is a time consuming and aggravating problem for a person about to enjoy a relaxing time fishing. Another problem occurs since often a fisherman will have several or more fishing rods grouped in his boat for use while fishing or grouped for transportation. Exposed hooks on a fishing line connected to a rod may become entangled in the fishing line of these other rods. Unsnarling and untangling hooks snagged in lines, clothes, carpet and even the fisherman is time consuming, difficult, and aggravating when what the fisherman really wants to do is to go fishing.
Thus, while hooks are in transit, use, or even storage, the fisherman must exercise caution in handling them to avoid these problems. To prevent accidental contact with fish hooks, anglers employ a variety of safety techniques or devices. A simple technique is to tautly attach the hook to a rod eyelet. When carrying a fishing pole with a hook attached to the fishing line, the fisherman may slip the hook through a rod eyelet and tautly wind the line. In this position, however, the hook remains exposed, and should the line loosen, the hook may become free of the eyelet and swing or fly around posing a danger to the fisherman or others. Gang hooks are exposed even more so. Previous patents describe several fish hook retaining devices which secure or store fish hooks with a view to preventing accidental contact with the hooks. U.S. Pat. No. 2,829,461 describes the use of a soft penetrable material which receives the barbed tips of a hook; transportation and handling may jiggle the hook free. U.S. Pat. No. 867,439 describes a star shaped arrangement of loops within which the hooks are encased. A clip arrangement receives the shank portion to retain the hooks within the loops, but the hooks may rotate away and out of the loops. U.S. Pat. No. 3,281,981 describes an arrangement which merely clamps onto the hook shank and secures the fishing lure to the fishing rod. However, the hook remains exposed. U.S. Pat. No. 3,484,980 describes a cylindrical retaining member having magnets to capture the metal lure or hook. Again, handling may bounce the hook free of this device or the lure weight may overcome the magnetic force and pull the hook out of the safety device. So, despite the efforts of the fisherman to secure his fish hook using these devices and techniques, the fish hook may nevertheless become free or otherwise exposed, and even the most careful fisherman is on occasion hooked by his own tackle. Even hooks loosely placed in tackle boxes pose a danger to the most careful fishermen.
It is therefore a feature of this invention to provide a fish hook safety device which attaches to a fishing rod and which also reduces the dangers and problems associated with a fish hook attached to a fishing line. Another feature of this invention is its ability to accommodate hooks of various sizes and shapes, and particularly treble or other gang hooks. Since most of a fisherman's hooks are held in a tackle box pending usage, it is a feature that this invention can be used or adapted for use in retaining or holding a gang fish hook while the hook is stored in a tackle box. Another feature of this invention is the increased protection from accidental contact with a fishing hook. Embodiments of the invention can be readily adapted for use directly on a fishing rod.